Improvement in air-brakes for railroad cars



Patented 1an. so, 1872. 'l

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rHoMAs o. WARD, or

PAV PAW, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR-BRAKES FOR RAILROAD CARS. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,312, dated January30, 1872.

To rwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. WARD, of Paw Paw, in the county of VanBuren and State ot' Michigamhave invented a new and useful Impro vementin Gompressed-Aii-Brakes for Railway (lar-s; and I do decla-re that thefollowing is a true and accurate description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference markedthereon and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is asect-ional plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sect-ional viewof the valve. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe valve-cylinder. Fig. 4is a longitudinal section ot' hose and coupling. Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the valve-cylinder head. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the spider in thecoupling.

In the accompanying drawing, like letters designate like parts.

The nature ot' this invention relates to an improvement in devices foractuating carbrakes by compressed air, so arranged that the engineer isenabled to apply or detach the brakes instantaneously from his positionon the engine; and also to devices for automatically operating thebrakes whenever a car is accidentally detached from the train or thrownfrom the track. This invention consists, first, in theautomatically-closing valves, in connection with the various devices forcompressing the air and conveying it to the cylinder where it is to beused; second, in the automatic-closin g valve-coupling, in connectionwith the different lengths oi' hose conveying the compressed air fromthe reservoir to the cylinder; third, in the construction, combination,and operation of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

A In the accompanying drawing, A represents the air-pump, which isattached to the locomotive in any convenient place and manner, so thatthe piston-rod B may be connected with and reciprocated by the engine bymeans ot' an eccentric or any other suitable device. 'Ihe air isadmitted to the cylinder of the pump through the automatically-closingvalve D, which is made so that the ball E (made prei'- erabl y of rubberor any other semi-elastic material) shall fall into the valve-seat F toclose the valve. When the valve is open' the ball rises in the chamberF' ot' the valve until the channels G in the side of the chamber areopened for the passage oi' the air. The air is forced bythe pump throughthe valve H, which is of the saine construction as the valve l), intothe reseryoir I, pro vided with a pressuregauge,

J'. When the air in the reservoir I has been compressed to the requisitepressure, the air from the air-pump A passes through the valve J, whichis operated by the engineer. The condensed air, when needed, is allowedto pass from the reservoir through thepipe Y, in which is placed thevalve L, which is also operated by the engineer. The pipe Z connects thereservoir with the pipe Y below the valves L and C', and has placed init the valve S', which is operated by a line passing through the train,and so secured to each car that, should the train be accidentally brokenup, or any car therein become detached or leave the track, the tensionon said line will at once open the valve S' and allow the compressed airto act upon the piston and rod, to the outer end of which rod the leverswhich control the brakes are attached in any convenient way. To the pipeY is connected the hose M, which is connected to the hose N, which, inlturn, is connected or secured to each car in the train by theautomatic-closing valve-coupling, which is made ofthe cylinder Q,containing a valve of the like construction with the valve D. Thecylinder Q slides into the cylinder R, which is attached to the lengthof hose N. The cylinder R has a follower, S', attached to the center ofthe spider V next the hose, so that when the cylinder Q slides into thecylinder R the follower passes through the valve-seat F" and presses theball E' against the valve-step l), where it is retained as long as thehose are coupled together; and when they are uncoupled the ball isforced or will roll down to the valve-seat F" and closes the opening.The cylinder R is retained over the cylinder Q by the spring t, whichengages with the catch r fon the cylinder Q. The condensed air passesthroughthehose N into the cylinderU through the opening x in thecylinder-head X, and forces back thepiston A', which carries with it thepiston-rod B', which passes through the cylinder-head X, and isconnected in any suitable manner with the brakes. The condensed air canescape from the cylinder U either through the valve C', which is placedin the pipe Y and operated directly by the engineer, or through thevalve C" in the escape-pipe T, which is operated by means ot' a cordConnected with the engine. The pressure of the oompressed air on thepiston A is instantly taken off if the valve C" is opened. Y/Vhen thepressure of the condensed air is taken olf of the piston A', the saidpiston is forced back against the cylinder-head X by the coiled springD', which is attached to the cylinder-head E". The Cylinder U has asmall opening, d, near the eylinderhead E" to allow the air in rear ofthe vpiston A' to escape from the cylinder as the piston is forcedtoward the head E". The cylinder U is attached to the car by anysuitable means and in any convenient position. p

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The valve D with the Chamber F', ehaunels G, head P, sea-t F, andball E, arranged to operate, substantially as described, in connectionwith the air-pump A, for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the lengths of hose M N, the valve-coupling,substantially as described, and the follower S, for the purposespecified, and the springs t and hooks or studs r, for the purpose ofholding' the coupling together, substantially as set fort-h.

3. The arrangement ofthe air-pump A, cylinder U, pipes Z Y T d, valvesD, L, U', S', C", and H, piston-rods B B', hose M N, when each part isconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

f THOMAS O. WARD.

Witnesses MYRoN H. CHURCH, GHAs. J. HUNT.

